Improvement in apparatus for drying coal



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIoE.

LOUIS JACOBI, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TOMIRON A. WARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR DRVING COAL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 166,612, dated August10, 1875; application filed June 17, 1875.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS JACOBI, of the city of Baltimore and State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Drying Coal, of which the following is a specification; and I dohereby declare that in the same is contained a full, clear, and exactdescription of my said invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to the evaporation of moisture from gas-coalprevious to its introduction to the retorts; and consists of a supplyand a discharge pipe and blower, in combination with a series of pits orexcavations covered with perforated plates, by means of which currentsof heated air may be passed through the gas-coal to absorb or carry oftthe moisture therefrom.

In the further description of my invention which follows, due referencemust be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan of the retort and enginehouses, showing the manner of application of my invention. Fig. 2 is anend view of a bench of retorts, and a sectional view of portions of theinvention on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in both figures.

A is the retort-house, and B B the benches of retorts. C is the supplyair-pipe, leading from the outer air at one end of the house to theblower or fan D, located in the en gine-house E. The pipe C passes overthe benches and in close proximity thereto, or through the brickwork, inorder to heat the air passing through it, and, if found necessary, maybe covered, after leavingthe benches, with some non-conducting material,to prevent radiation of heat. F is the discharge air-pipe, leading fromthe blower to the retort-house, where it is divided into branches, whichextend the whole length of the benches, in the front thereof and belowthe pavement. In front of each bench, and on either side of theretort-house, are located pits G, sufficiently deep to allow of thepassage through them of the pipe F. The pipe F is furnished withapertures a, which form the means of communication between said pipe andthe pits G. H H are perforated plates covering the pits Gr, and uponwhich the coal to be used in the retorts is placed. Upon the blowerbeing setin motion a strong current of dry and heated air is driventhrough the perforations in the plates H, and which air, while passingthrough the mass of coal upon the plates, absorbs or carries oft' themoisture from it.

The usual method of drying coal for use in the retorts is to store it insheds built expressly for the purpose, and which, from their size andmanner of construction, are necessarily expensive. i

My invention is designed to obviate this eX- penditure of money forstorage-sheds by the substitution therefor of the devices abovedescribed, which are comparatively inexpensive, but effective inoperation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The supply and discharge pipes C and F and blower D, in combination withthe pits G and perforated plates H, substantially as and for thc purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day ofMay, in the year of our Lord 1875.

LOUIS JACOBI. Witnesses:

WM. T. HOWARD, JNO. T. MADDox.

